West Sussex · England
Wedding paella catering in West Dean, West Sussex
Bring the theatre of live paella to your wedding in West Dean. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
- Destination-style celebrations at home
Wedding paella catering near West Dean
Wedding paella catering for your wedding in West Dean
Evening paella is a favourite: it is hot, filling and quick to serve, so the party keeps going. We cook Spanish desserts, a paella wedding breakfast and table tapas, and we are regularly asked to cater civil partnerships and vow renewals and evening wedding food.
Rural weddings around West Dean have a magic of their own, and an open-air paella adds to it. Plan access and cover in case of rain. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Area
- West Dean (PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Planners, venues and businesses
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
How it works
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. For a summer wedding in West Dean, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so an evening paella for evening guests is normally served in daylight in high summer. Later in the year, plan lighting: in December it’s dark by about 4:00pm.
- Send us your wedding date, venue and numbers.
- Together we plan each course.
- Timings are agreed with your venue.
- We cook live on the day and serve each course.
- We pack down, and staff stay as agreed.
Preparing for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Tell us when you want to eat
Ask for a quote
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
DIY paella versus live catering
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Dishes our guests love
Evening paella
Evening paella is hot, filling and fun, especially after a few hours on the dance floor.
Canapé tapas
Canapés keep guests happy between the ceremony and the meal, without spoiling appetites.
What else we do in West Dean
Occasions we cook for in West Dean
Paella can work for the wedding breakfast, the evening, or both, so it fits any plan.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Rustic barn weddings
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Food for evening guests
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
For outdoor photos, Levin Down is close by.
Before booking anyone
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How each diet is kept separate
- Whether travel is included
Planning a paella wedding in West Dean
West Dean is about 4 miles north of Chichester, in West Sussex. Whether your wedding is in the middle of West Dean or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in 371 places in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 25 miles away.
Historic houses near West Dean include West Dean House (under half a mile north-east) and Goodwood House (2.9 miles south-east). Historic houses and estates often have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that is your venue. Put the station on your invitation: Fishbourne station is about 4.8 miles away. With the South Downs National Park within about 6 miles, there are country venues, barns and gardens nearby. Ask your venue about access and cooking rules.
Anywhere in PO18, we can cook for your guests. We also cook at weddings in Singleton (1 mile east), Charlton (2 miles east), East Dean (3 miles east), Cocking (3 miles north) and Bepton (4 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Bognor Regis (9 miles south-east), Chichester (4 miles south), Selsey (12 miles south), Littlehampton (13 miles south-east), Emsworth (8 miles south-west) and Rustington (13 miles south-east).
A little further out are Chichester Castle (4.5 miles south) and Museum of Gardening (less than half a mile north-east). The countryside around West Dean includes Levin Down and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.
Why choose live paella in West Dean?
If you are weighing up paella against a traditional menu, think about your venue, your guests’ diets and the feel of the day. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why choose Love Paella in West Dean
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- We cover West Dean and the whole of West Sussex
Dietary needs and planning tips
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Ask about diets and allergies with your RSVPs
- Include any suppliers you’re feeding
- Introduce us to your venue coordinator
- Enquire early for peak dates
The pans are frequently set up where guests can see them, which makes a lovely backdrop for photos.
Canapé tapas with the drinks reception keep guests going during photos.
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- A separate open-sided gazebo if the meal is in a marquee
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in West Dean
- Sangria & bar staff
- Evening paella
- Dessert
- Canapé tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Table tapas
Questions from West Dean
Is West Dean too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
How far is West Dean from London?
Roughly 51 miles from the centre of London.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is usually popular with children. Include children in your numbers.
Can we try the food first?
Tell us you’d like a tasting when you enquire, and we will talk you through it.
Is paella smart enough for a wedding?
Served well, it feels generous and special: canapés, tapas, crockery and table service.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook on the day, serving it hot from the pan.
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff